Ye olde times

I mentioned in my first text that I could show you guys pics of my old costumes. Since I said that, I suppose I should fulfill it. BEHOLD!

I think it was Ropecon 2007. Tite Kubo's manga Bleach was pretty big deal to me back then (not anymore, god no) and Yumichika Ayasegawa was one of my favourite characters. So this was born. Costume was home-made, but the sword was made by a prop-maker I met at Naruto.fi. It was amazing-wood, weighted like a ton and all the blades were separated and moved. It was amazing.

Ah, a classic. Made to Animecon 2008 literally two days before the 'con. Character is from anime Ouran High School host club, and it is handpuppet called Beelzeneff. Yes, I admit-I pretended to be a handpuppet. It was great fun, though. It was funny to see other people's faces behind the mask, and I even found the owner of the puppet, Nekozawa.

Muahahahahah!

Then came long period of nothingness. In Gymnasium, I lost almost all interest in anime and manga. Then, at the senior year, we had this shindig/masquerade called Penkkarit. We had a theme, and that theme was Superheroes. When you're overweight, you don't have many superHEROES that are same body-type as you. But, I managed to find and make me a pretty rocking suit after all:

The Thing. My old hoodie covered in pieces of cardboard painted orange, hockey gloves and mask over head. It was awesome, even if I do say so myself. It was warm enough, for we toured our hometown in a back of a truck throwing candy to schools and daycares. One of my schoolmates was not so lucky-he was He-Man, with only the belts and fur-speedo.

After I graduated from Gymnasium, I started my Siviilipalvelus (Civilian service, alternate for army) and I had reconnected with my love for western comics. I bought and read lots of comics-Batman mostly, but also Scott Pilgrim, Justice League, Avengers and Hellboy. And since I wore that Thing-costume, I ad this knack in my head, to cosplay again. And I followed that knack. 

Tampere Kuplii-comics festival 2012 granted me a great opportunity for this. Jonathan Crane, aka Scarecrow from Batman was my choice. Easily my best costume ever. Simple to make (except maybe for the mask), easy to wear and looked totally awesome. I even took part in costume contest. I didn't win, but I sure had a blast! I used this costume again at Ropecon 2013 this year.

After success, I started planning more. Mad Hatter, Two-Face, Penguin-there where many ideas! I finally settled to one. To know it, you only need to look up! Can you guess? Not yet? Give up!

Yes. Edward Nygma aka the Riddler! Riddler is one of my favourite characters ever, and I looked forward making this costume. I made it for Tracon 2012. It was pretty simple-I just needed Green smoking jacket. Bowler hat I already had, and I made the questionmark-cane myself. In the end, it was OK. I kinda failed in the question marks at coat, but I still had a great day! I took part to cosplay-show, where you had this three-minute long skit. Behold: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NYxbDoudJs

Now we are here, at the treshold. Tracon 2013 is next weekend, and my costume is still in the works. Pictures come when I got something worth of sharing. 

Atte T

What's all this, then?

Yup, that's about all I like about cosplay. To be someone different, someone that is not a real thing. Something more than overweight, jobless nobody who has no direction in his life.

Yeah, that's me. My name is Atte. I live in Finland, and I'm currently trying to get to university to study religion. I hope someday, that I could be a teacher, and educating young people about religions and why we need to study them. On the other hand, I possibly would be much happier if I could work at the Fantasiapelit (Local nerd store) and just make costumes for conventions. And go to a Comic-con.

I read LOTS of comics. DC, Marvel, Darkhorse, Donald Duck, Finnish independent comics, manga and stuff. DC and Marvel are the gateway to a more exciting and purer world, where people stand up for each other. Donald Duck is hero of my childhood. Manga-well, nowadays I just read One Piece and Vinland Saga, but they are different kind of world, where everything is possible. Comics are my wormhole out of depressing, oppressing reality. And when I Cosplay, I go in there.

I'm overweight. I weight almost 300 pounds (that's 140 kilos for us), and I'm quite tall, 6'3'' (193 cm) so that makes it a little better. I have not always been overweight. And I have been trying to loose weight. But I'm big dude anyway. I have trouble sitting on a bus because my legs are so frigging tall. I can't buy clothes from normal supermarkets, because they have the sizes only for normal people. Every time I win a t-shirt or hoodie, I can't wear it because it's too small. And that's bloody annoying.

And I get the look when I cosplay. Couple of years ago, I had this Riddler costume. it was super fun day. I even entered the Cosplay-show and had a blast. But for some people, that is not good thing. I get the look. I can't be Riddler, I'm not lanky or thin. Same deal with Scarecrow. He is supposed to be thin man, you're a fucking bear. And I don't like it. It's like I'm some kind of joke to other cosplayers, who look like models and stuff. At first, I got bit depressed for it. It didn't encourage to plan for next con's. But I got over it. I'm big, so what?  Maybe I was home when there was food, but that doesn't mean I can't have fun while cosplaying someone not overweight.

TLDR-this is Cosplay log for an overweight cosplayer-C'est moi. I will post pictures of my old costumes, and update from the upcoming costumes. I will happily take any helps and tips from you readers, and look forward for your comments about the costumes.

Atte T.

PS. Watch the Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope. It is the best thing ever.